Nadine Kam photosAhi poke with taro chips and Maui potato chips served in the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox at the Sony Open.

I’m not a golfer, I don’t like the sun, so I could never fathom why people kept trying to get me to stop by the Sony Open.

It took a while for them to convince me that for some, it’s as much about the food and drink as the links. It’s golf’s version of football’s tailgate parties, except at the Sony Open, vendors do all the cooking.

If you’re lucky enough to be invited into one of the skyboxes, you can nosh the afternoon the way, and at the Kahala Hotel & Resort’s skybox, one guest kept his wife plied with full plates of nigiri sushi and handrolls courtesy Superb Sushi.

“I know what you’re trying to do,” she scolded. “You’re trying not to buy me dinner.”

It was about 2:30 p.m.

Over at the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox, there was a full menu ranging from Caesar salad and kung pao chicken lettuce cups, to kalua pork and carved huli chicken sandwiches, plus assorted desserts. Along with the food, there was sake from Nobu, Halekulani designer wines, Parc Chic zinfandel and viognier, and specialty teas.

Outside the skyboxes, there was plenty more to keep spectators happy, with stations manned by Blue Water Shrimp, Korean Fresh Grill, Hula Shrimp, Hawaiian Roasted Corn, SOUL Patrol, Cooking Fresh for You and Shiga’licious for those who needed to cool off with shave ice.

The Sony Open is one of the few occasions where I can be content to sit in the sun all afternoon!

Huli chicken that went into the carved huli chicken sandwich in the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox.

Teriyaki beef sticks were a popular offering.

Shrimp served with cocktail sauce below.

Instead of serving ourselves, we were handed the day’s menu to check off the morsels we wanted, here, the carved huli sandwich, kalua pork sandwich with hoisin sauce, beef sticks and shrimp cocktail. It resulted in more attractive plating than if guests were left to their own devices.

At the Kahala Hotel & Resort skybox, Cindi Rosete of Makena Resort and the Hotels & Resorts of Halekulani collects a handroll from Manny Nakasenh of Superb Sushi.

In the Kahala Hotel & Resort skybox, these were the markers for disappeared tea sanwiches. I got to try the chicken salad with tarragon on endive.